Home – a word filled with emotions. Home. If your parents or even grandparents are alive you may be planning a trip to spend time at home. If your parents are no longer living, maybe you are reminiscing of home.
Home. We all have stories about siblings, cousins, or neighborhood friends. There are moments of excitement and moments we would rather not remember. Home. Just writing or saying the word brings memories. There is still something nostalgically magical about your childhood home. Home.
Seventy degrees and a nice weather day in Pensacola, Florida – a typical Christmas Eve day. Mom, Aunt Susie, and Nanny are in the kitchen and dining area setting the table, placing deserts (carrot cake, German Chocolate cake, red velvet cake, apple pie, and pecan <puh-cahn not pee-can> pie) on the buffet, checking on the ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, checking the turkey, green bean casserole, stirring the roux, and kicking the children out from under-foot. Dad, Uncle Ed, PawPaw, and Doug who is old enough to help are outside under the oak shucking a sack of oysters for the Gumbo. I am flitting from one activity to another. The smell of the roux, chicken broth, green beans, and fresh bread are filling my nostrils. I can already taste the gumbo and the pecan (puh-cahn) pie. Perry Como’s voice is coming from the stereo singing, “There’s no place like home for the holidays.”
We have to eat – everything. on. our. plates. – before we open presents. It was always a long day for the children. Ride in the car to Nanny and PawPaw’s house. Wait for Uncle Ed and Aunt Susie to arrive and maybe even a great aunt and uncle or two. Wait for the gumbo to be ready. Wait for the prayer. Wait for the meal to be over. Wait for every one to have one or two deserts. Wait for the dishes to be cleared. Wait for the kitchen to be cleaned (I can hear the words ringing in my ears, “If you are so impatient, get in here and help!”) Home.
I used to roll my eyes when my parents and grandparents would talk about the simpler times and then share stories of home. And now, I think of how much simpler time was when I was young. As children, we don’t always see the busy side of things. We get out of bed, eat, play or go to school, eat again, spend time making memories with neighborhood friends or family, come home for supper, watch a little TV, read a book, get ready for bed, pray, fall asleep – repeat. Everything is taken care of for us. Caring parents provide food, clothing, shelter, and protection. That is the way childhood is supposed to be and that is why the word “home” brings such found memories.
For many people, but not all. Some do not have found memories of home. Maybe you are one of them. I am sorry, truly sorry, that you do not have comforting emotions of home. I wish I could go back in time and change things for you. I can’t, but I can tell you about a home you can think fondly of. I can tell you about the Father who cares. I can assure you that this world was not meant to be your eternal home. I can confidently tell you that there is a home waiting for you and a Father who will shelter, clothe, and provide your needs now and the eternal needs of your spirit.
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2Co 5:1-7
Paul gets it. “We groan in this tent – being burdened. . . “ We are made for more. We are created for greater. This time we have now is preparing us in Christ for our true Home.
The band MercyMe reminds us of our journey in their sing Almost Home:
Are you disappointed?
Are you desperate for help?
You know what it’s like to be tired
And only a shell of yourself
Well you start to believe
You don’t have what it takes
‘Cause it’s all you can do
Just to move, much less finish the raceBut don’t forget what lies ahead
Almost home
Brother it won’t be long
Soon all your burdens will be gone
With all your strength
Sister run wild run free
Hold up your head
Keep pressing on
We are almost homeWell this road will be hard
But we win in the end
Simply because of Jesus and us
It’s not if but when
So take joy in the journey
Even when it feels long
Oh find strength in each step
Knowing heaven is cheering you onWe are almost home
Brother it won’t be long
Soon all your burdens will be gone
With all your strength
Sister run wild run free
Hold up your head
Keep pressing on
We are almost home
Almost home
Almost homeI know that the cross has brought heaven to us
But make no mistake there’s still more to come
When our flesh and our bone are no longer between
Where we are right now and where we’re meant to be
When all that’s been lost is made whole again
When these tears and this pain no longer exist
No more walking we’re running as fast as we can
Consider this our second windAlmost home
Brother it won’t be long
Soon all your burdens will be gone
With all your strength
Sister run wild run free
Hold up your head
Keep pressing on
We are almost home
Almost home
Almost homeWe are almost home
Publishing: Tunes Of MercyMe (SESAC) (admin by essentialmusicpublishing.com); Tunes Of MercyMe / No Sappy Music (admin by essentialmusicpublishing.com); 9t One Songs, Ariose Music (ASCAP) (admin by capitolcmgpublishing.com)
Almost home
Almost home
We are almost home
Writer(s): Bart Millard; Mike Scheuchzer; Nathan Cochran; Robby Shaffer; Barry Graul; Ben Glover
Thinking of our eternal home I share one of the last posts my brother Charles posted on FB before his death in 2016, “Truth is, some are afraid of death. I am not. I have a relationship with Christ and I hope to do more for him on this earth, but if he chooses to take me home my thoughts will be with those I am leaving behind, that they seek Him even in the best of times, because in the worst of times he will be easier to find.” (Thanks to Eric Lyons for reminding me of this quote).
Hang in there, stay faithful in Christ. We are almost home.
– Scott
Bonus: MercyMe at the Dove Awards in November 2019
Driving Thought 
Thanks for the memories and reminders. Of course one memory was of when the oyster knife decide to take a bite out of my hand instead of opening that muddy bivalve.
That does happen.
I remember so much the fun times I had growing up and going to the older people’s home(grandparents) and then parents home for Christmas. Now, they are all gone and I am the older person, reminiscing about growing up and good times I had. But, I do still have those memories and I have already had my quiet small cry about those days. Time now to smile and face the young ones who are making their memories with me and about me. The one thing I do want them to remember is the fact that I was a Christian grandmother. Oh, I never shucked oysters. I lived in Charleston for a while and loved oysters, so I just went to the fish market and bought them in a glass jug. They are great already shucked. No worry about stabbing my hand, Have a great holiday. I will!!!